Now's the time to head outside, get the fire going, and bask in the beauty of summer.

By Katie Arnold-Ratliff

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

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Tip 3: Get Herbaceous

In his new cookbook, Charred and Scruffed, barbecue master Adam Perry Lang shares a quick trick for enhancing grilled meats: Hit them—literally—with a brush of fragrant rosemary. "It's like a magic wand of flavor," Lang says. "The bruised leaves release oils that give a unique accent to the meat." To make the brush, use twine to tie 10 to 15 five-inch sprigs of fresh rosemary to the handle of a wooden spoon. As the meat cooks, swat it lightly with the brush, or dip the brush in melted butter and use it as a basting wand.